Golf Strategy: Always Aim at Something For Your Golf Practice Routine

Symptom: Your golf practice routine is not very structured. Your swing “felt good” on the range, but the results aren’t there on the course.

You sadly watch another well-struck shot miss the fairway and bounce into the woods. Yes, you hit it solidly. But it didn’t go where you had intended, and now you have to pay the price…

Overview: In your golf practice routine, and especially when warming up at the driving range, you must always pick a target to aim at. Never just hit balls to watch them fly.

Why it works: Your golf practice routine needs to cover the things that you need to execute on the golf course. On the course, you are always aiming at something — the flag, a spot on the fairway, a tree in the distance, or something else, and so this is how you should practice.

Your Golf Practice Routine Needs an Aim Point

Jordan Spieth uses an aiming stick to get the most out of his golf warmup and golf practice routine.

Do this always. No exceptions! Why such a stern exhortation? Watch the pros hit balls the next time you are at a tournament, and you will see that they almost always do this on the range. And they have hit a few more balls with more success than the rest of us have!

For example, here is Jason Day’s pre-round warmup routine. Pay attention to how he uses the aiming stick for his 9 iron and every other long club in his bag. He is absolutely not just hitting balls, he is putting the balls where he wants them by ensuring his alignment is consistent every time. Have a look:

Same for Jordan Spieth. Similar to Day, he doesn’t use an alignment stick for his 60 and 54 degree wedges, but does for pitching wedges and every other club in the bag (1:22).

Even Simple Warmup Swings Need a Target

And yet, how many people do you see at the range going through their golf practice routine like Jason Day and Jordan Spieth? I’d bet not one in twenty — most are just swinging away! Unbelievable.

Even when you are swinging your club in your backyard, it’s a good idea to pick a target out to aim at. Why? Because it’s very easy to get a swing that “feels good”, but in fact has you swinging way out of alignment. Don’t do this! You will regret it the next time you have to make the ball go where you want to. Instead, pick a target, get the feel of the line to your target with the throw the stick underhand drill, and then practice your full swing. Then you’ll be practicing a real golf swing, not some sort of golf-swing-approximation-that-loosens-your-muscles-but-doesn’t-hit-the-ball-straight swing!

Did you like this bit of golf practice routine advice? Then please tell your friends — Like, Share, Tweet, +1, or Email below, and channel Jason Day’s and Jordan Spieth’s range habits the next time you are honing your game!